Curious? Just Read On...

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but that doesn't mean that it'll kill you. Actually, studies have shown that generally, curious people live longer and have healthier lives. Some have even hypothesized that a curious mind is a healthy mind because it forces your brain to exercise, literally.

After all, the brain is a muscle in your body. And challenging this muscle to work harder will ultimately improve it, consequently improving your physical health as well. Just look at people such as Albert Einstein, Dr. Saulk (the creator of the polio vaccine), the Wright Brothers, and even those groups of scientists that recently mapped out the human genome.

just call me george

As a small child, I was known to be a Curious George of sorts. Naturally, children up to the age of 10 are curious little creatures. It's expected of them. And it's perfectly natural to be overly curious at such young ages because our brains are in a state of development. However, as we grow older and mature, our brains also stop growing, and we ultimately lose more and more interest in things that would otherwise pique our curiosity.

pick my brain

In order to do all of these things, the brain must organize its 100 billion individual nerve cells (neurons) into efficient systems to sense, process, perceive, store, and act on the continuous input of sensations, sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touch. Furthermore, our brains do not just automatically pop into existence, capable of all these wonderful functions.

The brain grows to become a dynamic ever-changing biological system that gives us the capacity to love, create, communicate, and think. It becomes a product of our genetic potential and our history of experience. Then why are we so curious at a young age? Let me ask you this... do you still remember the first time you discovered why the sky is blue? I bet you felt real good about yourself. Well, that's the whole point.

Curiosity ultimately brings pleasure, and the brain interprets all your different chemical responses into this awesome feeling. Okay, so if discovering new things is exciting, then why do most adults stop being curious? The answer is pure genetics. The older we get, the less of those pleasure-producing chemicals we process. But there's still hope for you.

ready for some stimulation?

Here are a few ways you can start becoming more curious:

1. Read

In our daily lives, we spend more time watching the boob tube rather than enjoying a nice leisurely book. And don't tell me you read enough during the day when all that you read is the newspaper — that doesn't count. You need to read something interesting, like a murder mystery or sci-fi novel. Even some tasteful pornographic magazines (you know the ones) can get those creative juices flowing. Now what could be more pleasurable than that?

2. Write a journal

Writing a personal journal on a daily basis also helps you think a lot about your daily life. It forces you to take the time to think things through, and then it gives you the opportunity to reflect on the past and your accomplishments. Again, this is a great way to exercise the mind (and relieve stress).